Uptown Gem Will Reopen Its Doors For Theater Tour

Dave Syfczak visits daily with the gargoyles, lions and cherubs that ornament the arched entrances and painted walls of the vacant Uptown Theater.

But Wednesday, Syfczak, who usually makes his Uptown rounds as a security officer by himself, will not be alone.

The Uptown Chamber of Commerce and Upcorp, the Uptown Community Development Corp., will offer the public a chance to visit the theater that closed its doors in 1981.

"Some people haven't seen the inside of the Uptown since they were children," said chamber director Solomon S. Chu.

A reception will be held at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Uptown National Bank lobby at 4753 N. Broadway to celebrate the chamber's 75th anniversary and unveil eight different banners that will celebrate various facets of the Uptown neighborhood.

Upcorp and the chamber will be hosts of the reception, which will include live jazz, an auction of several banners, and most important, tours of the Uptown Theater at 4816 N. Broadway. The theater tour will highlight the Uptown neighborhood's rich architectural history, said Mimi Slogar, executive director of Upcorp.

"It's our crown jewel," Slogar said.

The theater, built in 1925, was designed by the firm Rapp and Rapp, which also designed the Chicago Theater. The Uptown site can seat more than 4,300, making it one of the largest theaters in the country, Slogar said.

As the current owners search for a developer to help bear the cost of the $15 million to $20 million renovation, Slogar said Upcorp and the chamber are trying to prove to the business community that the Uptown community is a viable investment.

"We realize it's not an easy sell," Chu said.

But Slogar and Chu hope that by displaying the banners, businesses will take notice of the once-thriving Uptown neighborhood and recognize the capital investment already taking place.

Syfczak said he believes the theater renovation is possible. When he walks through the grand hallways and vast lobby, he recalls from his childhood what piece of art hung where, and he said he hopes that he can see them again.